Jamal Mayers

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT JAMAL MAYERS - PAGE 5

The Sports Xchange NHL roundup: Blackhawks' Mayers fined Chicago Blackhawks forward Jamal Mayers hasn't played at all in the postseason, but he still managed to get fined by the league. Mayers was fined a half day's pay - about $1,600 - for shooting pucks into the Detroit Red Wings goal during warm-ups prior to Game 5 on Saturday, TSN reported. Mayers shot about five pucks into Jimmy Howard's net from Chicago's side of center. "I was trying to get under their skin," Mayers told ESPN.

SportsDirect Inc. Recap: Blackhawks 3, Flames 2 (SO) Blackhawks 3, Flames 2 (SO): Patrick Kane scored in regulation and netted the decisive goal in the shootout as Chicago won in Calgary for the first time in over three years. Kane beat Miikka Kiprusoff with a backhand deke in the second round of the shootout after opening the scoring for the Blackhawks, while Marian Hossa tied the game in the waning seconds of regulation. Ray Emery made 47 saves in regulation and overtime and was perfect in the shootout in his second start of the season.

BOSTON -- Playing the part of Marian Hossa on Wednesday morning: Jamal Mayers. But it's anticipated Hossa will be back to being himself in Game 4 against the Bruins. Though Hossa missed the morning skate at TD Garden on Wednesday, the explosive winger should return to the lineup at a critical point of the Stanley Cup Final. "He's expected to play tonight," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "He's fine. " There was some sense from the Blackhawks that a decision again might arrive only after warmups, but Quenneville seemed to kibosh that notion.

Along with 29 other NHL teams, the Chicago Blackhawks are working the phones to try to improve themselves as free agency opened at 11 a.m. Central. With 23 players already under contract, Hawks general manager Stan Bowman is in the market for one or two players who can bolster the lineup. "We're always trying to get better, whether it's free agency or trades," Bowman said. "We're excited about it. We'll see how it shakes out, but we're looking forward to the discussion and seeing if we can get some things to help the team.

The Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup playoff preparation began without two key elements, as goalie Ray Emery and Dave Bolland were nowhere to be found when Monday's practice began. They won't be anywhere in sight when the postseason begins Tuesday, either. Both will miss Game 1 against the Wild at the United Center, coach Joel Quenneville confirmed after the workout. "We're going to rule them out for (Tuesday)," Quenneville said. "We'll say day-to-day. We're hopeful they're going to be on the ice real soon.

It's dangerous to draw conclusions from just one exhibition game. But after Tuomo Ruutu's debut in the Blackhawks' 4-4 tie Sunday with St. Louis, one thing is certain: Ruutu is something Hawks fans haven't seen in quite a while. On his first shift, Ruutu drilled Blues defenseman Christian Laflamme into the boards. On his second shift, he scored on a rebound of his own shot. "He's a young guy [who] plays like a man, and he plays a man's game," coach Brian Sutter said. Getting that first goal so early in the preseason was one less thing to concern Ruutu.

On a night when it finally took several hands to count the attendance, it barely took more than two to count the extent of the Blackhawks' offense. Before a crowd of 20,608 at the United Center, as well as a national cable TV audience, the Hawks tied a franchise worst with 11 shots on goal Friday in a humbling 3-0 loss to St. Louis. The defeat ended a four-game home win streak before only the third crowd of 20,000-plus this season. "It doesn't matter if you're playing against 10 guys," associate coach Lorne Molleken said.

A couple of newcomers joined Chicago Blackhawks teammates Wednesday during an informal practice as the NHL lockout continues. Patrick Kane and Daniel Carcillo were on the ice in Chicago during the session arranged by Hawks captain Jonathan Toews. It's the second time players have gathered since the lockout began late Saturday night. "It's nice just to skate," Kane said. "That's the big thing right now. Guys are still trying to get ready for the season and be ready when that time comes.